The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-17


osty alone, to attend the sittngs. The present
committee has decided, as general principle. to
admit only the witnesses under examination.
the counsel on both sides and the press. Ex-
Congressman Glddings, of Texas, was present
this morning.
The colored witness, T. NJ. Jones, whose ex-
animation was begun yesterday, was again
called to the stand In reply to Senator Spooner,
he said his brother aged thirty years, came to
the voting place to bring the witness mis- supper.
The brother, 80 far as the witness was awsre
was not armed. He had since been hanged lp:e-
sumabiy for connection with the election riot,
though this point was not developed). He was
Republican.
J. NJ. Nicholson, sixty -one years of age,
planter, twenty years resident OF Washington
county, was next examined. He was Demo
voted the Peoples ticket. He was appointed
manager OF the election at Chad wicks gn-house.
but being i'll he was requested to select some
good man to serve in his stead. For this pur-
pose he attended the polls and remained al
day.
Question by Senator Spooner-Was there an
election there that day9
mo. sir"
''Well, why9 Won't you explain thatg'
well, am almost ashamed to state; could
not get any one who could write. There were
three or four who could write, but they did not
wish to serve" The witness explained that
there were between ninety and ninety five
voters, forty five of whom we're white. Thirty
of the latter were Poanders. Most Of the white
property owners Of the precinct lived in another
precinct.
In reply to Senator Spooner, the witness said
that atthe asteection prior to that which was the
subject of investigation, serious trouble had oc
Cured at Chapel Hill, when two men, one being
an election officer. shot The ballot box
was taken, and the vote suppressed The wit
ness did not think that this occurrence had the
effect OF preventing the colored men at Chad
wick's from serving election officers. There
were only four of the freedmen who could write.
Two were not present, ana one Of the others had
been in the penitentiary, and for that reason
was not competent The voters were present, but
repeated efforts to organize a board failed. The
witness said he announced, about 10 o'clock iU
the morning, that there would be vote, but
later he said he misunderstood the question: and
that it was about that time he announced his
readiness to deliver the papers whenever q COM
petent board should be organized. In reply to
Senator Eustis the witness said the vote of the
precinct was about evenly divided; the Repub-
licans might have majority of four or five No
one had.declined to serve by reason of fear of
personal injury. Only four of the white voters
OF the precinct could read and write English,
and they were prevented from serving by illness
or business. In answer to Senator Spooner, the
witness said he thought no one was punished for
the Chapel Hill outrage; no one knew who did
it. In answer to Senator Eusts, the witness
said Mr.. j. L. Moore one of the memoralists to
Congress, was sheriff at the time Of the Chapel
Hill outrage
After the recess, Lewis P. Pennington fcnl-.
ored) was called to the witness stand He is q
voter at Flewellyns precinct and was one Of
the judges Of election last November. He told
the story of the assault upon election officers by
three armed and masked men, who demanded
and took away the ballot box, the shooting Of
Dewes Bolton, one of the raiders and the subse-
quent hanging of e. Jones, Alfred Jones and
Sned Fielder, three colored men. Upon cross-
examination, Senator Eustis read the deposition
of the witness befor the corouers jury, in which
| the witness said he did not any men coming
| into the door disguised and with pistols, and he
| sat where he could see both doors.
us that statement correct!' asked Senator
Eustis
we'll, no. sir; that is not
well. in what respect is that incorrectls
Well. there were double barreled shotguns
and pistols round there fat the coroners inquestl
till was just naturally afraid to tell the truth.
| On redirect examination by Senator Spooner,
the witness said the colored people voted the Re-
| publican ticket. except when they were scared
| up to vote the peoples ricket:"
Felix Kinlow. colored described the raid at
Flewelyns. his own fight, his arrest, with eight
other colored men, next day. and incarceration
! TOR month, and the entry into the Jail of mob
| of armed and disguised men, who took out Sned
| Fielder and witnesses father-in-law and cousin.
| On crossexamination the witness. with consid-
cradle hesitation, testified that be heard that
Polk Hill killed Dewes Bolton.
| VIM. Shaw, colored, testified that the ballot
box at Graball polling place was seized by armed
| and disguised white men.